Mass Effect 3: Blue Oyster Cult Was Wrong

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PunkBoy: Aug 22, 2008; You wanna get through this?

MadHat posted:

You have to be consistant in all your colored responses to him throughout the game, always Red or Always Blue. To make things worse one of the choices in hidden in a side conversation [Left side convo wheel] so many people never see it.

Ah, I see, thanks!

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:09

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 19:53

kuddles: Jul 16, 2006; Like a fist wrapped in blood...

CaptainCarrot posted:

Why? Movies and books change their endings all the time when the screening audience objects. And where are you getting the 'minority' bit, or is this just unprovable 'silent majority' crap?

And that almost always turns into a bad thing when they do it? You really want game stories to be subjected to the same treatment as movies that try to be as bland, inoffensive and catering to the lowest common demoninator possible? We already have focus groups turning video game mechanics into milquetoast entertainment as it is.

Also, I hate to break it to you, but if you're posting about video game stories on the internet, you are the "minority". Talk to me when that "petition" reaches a million signatures and you might have a counter-argument.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:12

Mr. Pumroy: May 20, 2001

Loving Life Partner posted:

I just don't understand why the ending of the series has everyone so knotted up. The ending is just an ending. Stephen King illustrated this so well in the last volume of Dark Tower.

It's always about the journey, and more specifically, the climax, a good story has a slow build, and then a ramping up of events that leads to the top of the rollercoaster, and then it's all winding down. Remember how you felt after Harbinger blasts the Hammer squad, Shepard is half vaporized and stumbling toward the beam, and manages to barely hold his pistol up to put 4 more reaper troops on ice as he stumbles into the light? THAT'S the good bit. That's the peak of the story, it illustrates Shepard's entire character perfectly. Everything after that is the winding down, the tieing of ends, the capping off.

The Dark Tower's ending wasn't really an ending, it was a continuation. The point of it was that the cycle would continue, but this next time would be more hopeful. If ME3 ended like that (humanity is destroyed but the next cycle of life will definitely be able to stop the reapers) that'd be cool, but that's not the case.

ME3's ending ties up loose ends only to unravel it again for no real reason. If the game ended with Shepard and Anderson sitting on the citadel watching the crucible fitting onto it I'd agree. My issue is the introduction of the holokid and all his associated baggage. The game was set up to end nicely but then this scene appended to it interjects a whole lot of new issues that don't really add up. The catalyst's argument for the reaper's motivations doesn't make sense or at least you're never given an opportunity to explore their motivations so that they could make better sense, and the choices it gives you are painfully arbitrary. Synthesis, in particular, is nonsensical. At least destroy and control had grounding in the game, synthesis comes completely out of left field.

The ending could have worked if these "high concept" themes had been explored further throughout the game, however the closest you get is the Pinocchio-syndrome that EDI and the geth are suddenly afflicted with, and that's a pretty superficial read of transhumanism.

Ultimately the problem I have is that the ending attempted to interject this very conceptual idea when that had never been a theme of the game. The game fails to display the intellectual chops necessary to put forward the idea that Shepard would suddenly want to transcend to the next level of sentient evolution.

And that's not even barring the "all mass effect relays stop working galactic civilization is back to square one" thing that kind of makes a sacrifice moot.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:12

Shard: Jul 30, 2005

Android Blues posted:

I liked the ending. Call me crazy!

e: to elaborate I felt like it fit and made sense and was moving and etc. It actually seems quite shocking to me that there are gaming news outlets up in arms about it.

I agree maybe I'm just easy to please. I liked everything about this game. But to each their own. I just hope there isn't enough negative backlash to stop Bioware from making more games. I really like them even DA2!

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:14

Digital Osmosis: Nov 10, 2002; Smile, Citizen! Happiness is Mandatory.

So I'm an Adept who runs around with the Particle Beam and a silly recharge time. I've been using Energy Drain as my bonus power and enjoying it, since shields mess with my biotics. It's fairly late game however and I just unlocked Liara's second power, Stasis. Since she has Stasis Bubble, I know how useful it is, and since my Energy Drain is fully upgraded I'd be able to switch over to Stasis Bubble right away... but shields are still really, really annoying. Which is a better bonus power for an Adept to have?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:17

ChronoReverse: Oct 1, 2009

Digital Osmosis posted:

So I'm an Adept who runs around with the Particle Beam and a silly recharge time. I've been using Energy Drain as my bonus power and enjoying it, since shields mess with my biotics. It's fairly late game however and I just unlocked Liara's second power, Stasis. Since she has Stasis Bubble, I know how useful it is, and since my Energy Drain is fully upgraded I'd be able to switch over to Stasis Bubble right away... but shields are still really, really annoying. Which is a better bonus power for an Adept to have?

I'd considering running around with a pistol instead?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:19

CaptainCarrot: Jun 9, 2010

MadHat posted:

You have to be consistant in all your colored responses to him throughout the game, always Red or Always Blue. To make things worse one of the choices in hidden in a side conversation [Left side convo wheel] so many people never see it.

I think Mars and Thessia are both out of the way a bit, and I'm also fairly sure I went Renegade once or twice.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:21

thebardyspoon: Jun 30, 2005

Is it actually possible to get to level 60 in a playthrough? I imported a pretty comprehensive Shepherd at 30 with nearly everything done in ME1 and 2 (never bought Pinnacle Station but I doubt that means poo poo) and maxed out at 56. I think I did every sidequest as well.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:22

PunkBoy: Aug 22, 2008; You wanna get through this?

Really not sure what to think of the ending. It's not the ending I would have expected q, and I wouldn't mind a DLC alternate one, but I'm not going to start thinking Bioware is the scum of the Earth or anything. The game was still a great experience, and I'm glad I've played through all three games.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:23

consensual poster: Sep 1, 2009

MadHat posted:

You have to be consistant in all your colored responses to him throughout the game, always Red or Always Blue. To make things worse one of the choices in hidden in a side conversation [Left side convo wheel] so many people never see it.

Nope. I was not consistent in my responses. Still talked him down.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:25

messagemode1: Jun 9, 2006

Ahahahahaha, James is hilarious.

If you ask him to do any sort of tech things on missions like shut down panels or whatever he just starts stomping on the panel while Shepard facepalms.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:33

PunkBoy: Aug 22, 2008; You wanna get through this?

James is awesome. Freddie did a great job voicing him.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:34

Davincie: Jul 7, 2008

thebardyspoon posted:

Is it actually possible to get to level 60 in a playthrough? I imported a pretty comprehensive Shepherd at 30 with nearly everything done in ME1 and 2 (never bought Pinnacle Station but I doubt that means poo poo) and maxed out at 56. I think I did every sidequest as well.

Well I am far from finished (I just did the mission after getting the last squadmate) and I am level 56 so I'd say yeah.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:35

BrianWilly: Apr 24, 2007; There is no homosexual terrorist Johnny Silverhand

Destroy ending is like the game forgot that they made the Geth good guys and Control ending is like the game forgot that they made The Illusive Man a bad guy. Synthesis ending is like the game just forgot.

I seriously think that people who don't mind the ending are just being placated by the pretty lights and lovely music and the fact that, yes, 99% of this game really is amazing and also, yes, even the horrible writing and nonsensical nature of the ending does in fact have some vaguely interesting ideas in it. What we should not do is equate "vaguely interesting ideas" with "appropriate cap-off to 100+ hours of an epic, decision-based, character-based saga trilogy." Cramming a bunch of big thesaurus.com words into your finale doesn't magically make it good.

For people who are adamant that the ending stay the same and that any deviation from what we're given would be an insult to the concept of art, are you saying that you wouldn't want to see any post-storyline DLCs whatsoever? Not even if it somehow fits into the events as they were shown?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:36

Infinite Monkeys: Jul 18, 2010; If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.

Is there a list of the requirements for each ending that doesn't spoil the endings anywhere? I don't want to blindly google because I'll probably end up seeing 'THE ENDING WHERE X DIES:' or something. Is the point of no return really obvious or does it sneak up on you?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:37

General Battuta: Feb 7, 2011; This is how you communicate with a fellow intelligence: you hurt it, you keep on hurting it, until you can distinguish the posts from the screams.

Infinite Monkeys posted:

Is there a list of the requirements for each ending that doesn't spoil the endings anywhere? I don't want to blindly google because I'll probably end up seeing 'THE ENDING WHERE X DIES:' or something. Is the point of no return really obvious or does it sneak up on you?

It's really obvious.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:40

Holy Cow: Dec 8, 2006

Infinite Monkeys posted:

Is the point of no return really obvious or does it sneak up on you?

It should be pretty obvious yeah.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:40

Hentai Tentacle Demon: Apr 12, 2002; Spacy Spicy Love

messagemode1 posted:

Ahahahahaha, James is hilarious.

If you ask him to do any sort of tech things on missions like shut down panels or whatever he just starts stomping on the panel while Shepard facepalms.

Got a video of that?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:41

kuddles: Jul 16, 2006; Like a fist wrapped in blood...

BrianWilly posted:

For people who are adamant that the ending stay the same and that any deviation from what we're given would be an insult to the concept of art, are you saying that you wouldn't want to see any post-storyline DLCs whatsoever? Not even if it somehow fits into the events as they were shown?

It depends on the ending you chose, but to me it seems clear that the ending provides for post-storyline DLC anyways, although the way the message is worded in the game suggests theymight intend for all future DLC to take place before the ending.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:45

FairGame: Jul 24, 2001; Der Kommander

Infinite Monkeys posted:

Is there a list of the requirements for each ending that doesn't spoil the endings anywhere? I don't want to blindly google because I'll probably end up seeing 'THE ENDING WHERE X DIES:' or something. Is the point of no return really obvious or does it sneak up on you?

You're literally told, "If you launch this mission, there's no looking back," and then given a dialogue prompt further hammers it home.

Speaking of which, I launched that mission last night and I know I'm at the end since I just had my tacky romance scene.

I'm not reading any of the spoilers, but I guess I'm going to be really disappointed by the ending.

I've done every sidequest and have a ludicrously high war score. I better get something good out of my Space Suikoden OCD.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:47

Revenant Threshold: Jan 1, 2008

Two spoiler questions; one from a spoiled text in the OP's FAQ for Rannoch, but also endgame spoilers; It says that quarian/geth peace is a points system, but it doesn't actually say what the point threshold is. And as far as the endgame goes, i'm under the impression that the destroy ending kills the geth if they've been Reaper-uploaded, but that peace between the two requires the upload. Does that mean that the geth die whatever happens?

The second is from the big Citadel mission, and is just to satisfy my curiosity. What happens if you miss the renegade interrupt to shoot Udina?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:55

jimmydean: Aug 25, 2008

Quick question for y'all ME 3 players. I loved the first one but thought it was super flawed (bugs, mako, ect). I hated the second one because they removed some rpg elements and just left me with bland and easy combat. I thought the relationship talks sounded like retarded nerd nonsense and I grew bored of the, "shoot people, recruit someone, talk to everyone on the ship, repeat" gameplay style.

Is ME 3 more of the same and if it is, do they change things up significantly. I loved the story in the first one but grew bored with second one due to the often repetitive gameplay.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 20:59

Pathard: Oct 23, 2011; Push the envelope. Watch it bend.

Revenant Threshold posted:

Two spoiler questions; one from a spoiled text in the OP's FAQ for Rannoch, but also endgame spoilers; It says that quarian/geth peace is a points system, but it doesn't actually say what the point threshold is. And as far as the endgame goes, i'm under the impression that the destroy ending kills the geth if they've been Reaper-uploaded, but that peace between the two requires the upload. Does that mean that the geth die whatever happens?

The second is from the big Citadel mission, and is just to satisfy my curiosity. What happens if you miss the renegade interrupt to shoot Udina?

The other person does it for you.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:00

Digital Osmosis: Nov 10, 2002; Smile, Citizen! Happiness is Mandatory.

ChronoReverse posted:

I'd considering running around with a pistol instead?

Is there any particular reason other than recharge speed? I think I'm at 155% cooldown, and I'd trade the 45% cooldown for the ability to take down an atlas in one clip, especially since every other thing I do goes for recharge speed increase. Particle Beam with an extended magazine is hilarious, since the damage of the beam depends on how long you've been firing. Plus it's nice not having to worry about ammo. Can a pistol really do more damage, or are you suggesting using the increased recharge speed to spam warp and throw and the like?

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:02

MadHat: Mar 31, 2011

Revenant Threshold posted:

Two spoiler questions; one from a spoiled text in the OP's FAQ for Rannoch, but also endgame spoilers; It says that quarian/geth peace is a points system, but it doesn't actually say what the point threshold is. And as far as the endgame goes, i'm under the impression that the destroy ending kills the geth if they've been Reaper-uploaded, but that peace between the two requires the upload. Does that mean that the geth die whatever happens?

The second is from the big Citadel mission, and is just to satisfy my curiosity. What happens if you miss the renegade interrupt to shoot Udina?

Second Question
The Virmire Survivor shoots him, but feels depressed about doing it

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:02

Revenant Threshold: Jan 1, 2008

Ah, figured that'd be the case. Thanks.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:03

FisheyStix: Jul 2, 2008; This avatar was paid for by the Silent Majority.

jimmydean posted:

Quick question for y'all ME 3 players. I loved the first one but thought it was super flawed (bugs, mako, ect). I hated the second one because they removed some rpg elements and just left me with bland and easy combat. I thought the relationship talks sounded like retarded nerd nonsense and I grew bored of the, "shoot people, recruit someone, talk to everyone on the ship, repeat" gameplay style.

Is ME 3 more of the same and if it is, do they change things up significantly. I loved the story in the first one but grew bored with second one due to the often repetitive gameplay.

I kinda felt the same way, but I finished ME2. ME3, in my opinion, is a little better than ME2 in terms of feeling RPGey, and I have to say I like what they did with the weapons. You'll probably find it a little easier to deal with than Mass Effect 2, but if you didn't get all the way through it, then ME3 might be kind of annoying. It took me a while to get used to characters like Jack and Jacob (Miranda can still go gently caress herself), and getting to watch their transformations particularly Jack's- goddamn, it melted my heart is one of the most rewarding things about this game so far.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:04

BrianWilly: Apr 24, 2007; There is no homosexual terrorist Johnny Silverhand

Infinite Monkeys posted:

Is there a list of the requirements for each ending that doesn't spoil the endings anywhere? I don't want to blindly google because I'll probably end up seeing 'THE ENDING WHERE X DIES:' or something. Is the point of no return really obvious or does it sneak up on you?

The endings are based entirely on your Effective Military Strength rating. Storyline decisions only factor insofar that it affects your War Assets, which affects the ending options available to you, so there's no narrative "requirements" like, oh, you must allow Garrus' pet varren to sacrifice itself on Thessia or something so that the final cutscene will happen. (spoiler alert Garrus has no pet Varren)

Without going into any detail, you want at least 2800 EMS to have all of the different ending choices available. That's the safest margin.

Going into very very small details, if you have 5000 EMS (which is only possible from playing multiplayer) and you choose the "red" ending (you'll know it when you see it), you get to see an additional bonus ten second cutscene. Based on the outcome of the final showdown, it's possible to get that requirement down to 4000 EMS. Honestly though, it's not that hard to get 5000 EMS if you do a couple rounds of multiplayer, so that "final showdown" outcome is pretty negligible.

Revenant Threshold posted:

Two spoiler questions; one from a spoiled text in the OP's FAQ for Rannoch, but also endgame spoilers; It says that quarian/geth peace is a points system, but it doesn't actually say what the point threshold is. And as far as the endgame goes, i'm under the impression that the destroy ending kills the geth if they've been Reaper-uploaded, but that peace between the two requires the upload. Does that mean that the geth die whatever happens?

First question: If you choose the destroy ending, yes the Geth die no matter what. They survive if you choose "control" or "synthesis" though.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:04

Count Choculitis: Sep 13, 2007; I love you, Shepard. I always have. I want to understand what this is between us... and make it real.

Revenant Threshold posted:

Two spoiler questions; one from a spoiled text in the OP's FAQ for Rannoch, but also endgame spoilers; It says that quarian/geth peace is a points system, but it doesn't actually say what the point threshold is.

Whoops! Apparently it takes five points.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 21:28

richardfun: Aug 10, 2008; Twenty years? It's no wonder I'm so hungry. Do you have anything to eat?

As disappointed as I am by the ending, I am much more sad that Mass Effect (or at least the story of The Shepard) is over. This might sound overly dramatic, but I doubt I'll ever enjoy a game in the same way.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 22:11

tadashi: Feb 20, 2006

Digital Osmosis posted:

Is there any particular reason other than recharge speed? I think I'm at 155% cooldown, and I'd trade the 45% cooldown for the ability to take down an atlas in one clip, especially since every other thing I do goes for recharge speed increase. Particle Beam with an extended magazine is hilarious, since the damage of the beam depends on how long you've been firing. Plus it's nice not having to worry about ammo. Can a pistol really do more damage, or are you suggesting using the increased recharge speed to spam warp and throw and the like?

Most people just prefer the ability spam over weapons when it comes to non-soldier classes.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 22:22

ChronoReverse: Oct 1, 2009

tadashi posted:

Most people just prefer the ability spam over weapons when it comes to non-soldier classes.

You could probably unleash more damage with biotic combos I'd say. Plus the Paladin and Carnifex pistols are really powerful.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 22:29

kater: Nov 16, 2010

thebardyspoon posted:

Is it actually possible to get to level 60 in a playthrough? I imported a pretty comprehensive Shepherd at 30 with nearly everything done in ME1 and 2 (never bought Pinnacle Station but I doubt that means poo poo) and maxed out at 56. I think I did every sidequest as well.

You can't import a character higher than 30, that's what ME2 maxes at. I don't think it's possible to cap in one game.

Not that it matters, I had at least 40 points unassigned because the only thing I used was my sniper rifle and biotic charge.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 22:50

DoYouHasaRabbit: Oct 8, 2007

Welp. In case you guys want to know Banshees can somehow see you when you're invisible. I figured that out the hard way.

Also holy poo poo, just got instakilled while I was running. The game actually brought me back 3 feet in front of the Banshee so it could do the killing animation.

DoYouHasaRabbit fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Mar 15, 2012

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:35

Gordon Shumway: Jan 21, 2008

DoYouHasaRabbit posted:

Welp. In case you guys want to know Banshees can somehow see you when you're invisible. I figured that out the hard way.

Also holy poo poo, just got instakilled while I was running. The game actually brought me back 3 feet in front of the Banshee so it could do the killing animation.

Yeah, if those things get their hands on you, you are totally hosed with no hope of even getting revived.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:48

messagemode1: Jun 9, 2006

Hentai Tentacle Demon posted:

Got a video of that?

Unfortunately no. And it only happens the first time you do it, every time after that James just says "Ok if you say so..." without any special animation. Disappointingly while you're defending him he shares the same typing animation that everyone else gets.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:54

Professor Beetus: Apr 12, 2007; They can fight us
But they'll never Beetus

DoYouHasaRabbit posted:

Welp. In case you guys want to know Banshees can somehow see you when you're invisible. I figured that out the hard way.

Also holy poo poo, just got instakilled while I was running. The game actually brought me back 3 feet in front of the Banshee so it could do the killing animation.

I don't know if it was intended or the game glitching out, but on my Hardcore Infiltrator playthrough, there were a ton of instances in which I ended up getting shot by enemies while I was cloaked. Cannibals, Cerberus mooks, Marauders, just about anyone.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:55

ChronoReverse: Oct 1, 2009

Supposedly, the AI is smart enough to spray the area you were in when you cloaked.

If true that's pretty neat.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:57

Mr. Pumroy: May 20, 2001

ChronoReverse posted:

Supposedly, the AI is smart enough to spray the area you were in when you cloaked.

If true that's pretty neat.

I've seen it happen in multiplayer. I cloaked and moved to another position under cloak and the enemy kept firing on the cover I was formerly hiding behind. It was a nice touch. Then I shot him in the head.

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:59

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# ? Apr 26, 2024 19:53

Akumos: Sep 10, 2006

I'm a moron that doesn't use spoiler tags

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ? Mar 15, 2012 23:59

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